Global

The defence ministers of Russia and the United States have spoken by telephone about the war in Ukraine. The last such conversation was more than a year ago. The call came a few days after an attack in Crimea, possibly by US missiles, which has strained relations.

The 32 NATO countries have officially elected outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte as the next Secretary General of the transatlantic military alliance. NATO made the announcement on Wednesday (26 June). Rutte will take over when current NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg completes his final term on 1 October 2024.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant on Tuesday (25 June) for former Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu. He is suspected of being responsible for attacks on civilian targets in Ukraine between October 2022 and March 2023. An arrest warrant has also been issued for Valery Gerasimov, commander-in-chief of the Russian army.

A Chinese capsule from the Chang'e 6 mission has returned to Earth with rocks from the far side of the Moon. The capsule landed this morning in northern China, in the Inner Mongolia region.

Proposed European Union tariffs on Chinese goods are not a "punishment", German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Robert Habeck assured Chinese officials in Beijing on Saturday (22 June). The visit is the first by a senior European official since Brussels proposed significant tariffs on imports of Chinese-made electric vehicles (EVs) in response to what the EU sees as excessive subsidies. Ahead of Habeck's arrival, China warned that rising tensions over EVs could spark a trade war. "It is important to understand that these are not punitive tariffs," Habeck told the opening session of a dialogue on climate and transformation. He stressed that unlike the US, Brazil and Turkey, which have used punitive tariffs, the EU is taking a different approach.

The United States is moving Ukraine to the top of the list to receive air defence interceptors to protect its cities from the onslaught of Russian missile attacks. The policy decision applies to interceptors used by the Patriot and other air defence systems to shoot down incoming missiles and drones. As a result, the US will give priority to Ukraine for Patriot surface-to-air missiles. Deliveries to other countries will be delayed to allow Ukraine to build up a sufficient stockpile.

North Korean soldiers have briefly crossed the heavily guarded border with South Korea. It was the second time in two weeks. When the South Korean army fired warning shots, the soldiers withdrew. The South Korean army said it was a misunderstanding.

An explosion has claimed the lives of several North Korean soldiers in the Demilitarised Zone between North and South Korea. The incident fits a pattern of rising tensions between the countries.